Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

The Spatial Distribution Of Invasive Plant Presence, Abundance, And Impact, Evelyn M. Beaury

Doctoral Dissertations

Across the globe, native ecosystems are increasingly threatened by the spread and negative impacts of non-native, invasive plants. While many hypotheses explore what contributes to the damage caused by invasive species, few studies have tested these hypotheses at the macroscale. My dissertation addresses this knowledge gap by synthesizing thousands of vegetation surveys from ecosystems across the United States. I leverage existing, as well as explore new macroecological methods to deepen our understanding of the spatial ecology of plant invasions. My dissertation also asks how effective management and policy has been at reducing plant invasions. The primary introduction pathway for invasive …